The most irritating bleeders.

[Dzaw]

Ok, so there’s a lot of catagories of cuts, nicks, slices, bleeders, and weepers.

For the most part, when I find myself bleeding it’s what I consider the price of forgetting to know better. For example, if I get a touchdown nick like I did when I first started, sure it’s a bit irritating, but I also have a part of me that’s like “well that’s what you get, you should know better”. Same with a toe nick, like if I catch my ear with just the toe of the razor because I’m too busy paying attention to the heel, it’s a bunch of “no more than you deserved”.

However, from time to time, I will be shaving along, happy with how smooth and blood free the shave is, happy that there’s no pulling, irritation, etc, and I am on task and on point, maintaining concentration just fine. I’ll fonish up a swipe or two, rinse the lather off the razor, and when I readdress my face in the mirror, holy crap, where did that come from!?

Not that these sorts of bleeders are big, they tend to be little weepers, but the ones that bug me the most are the ones I had no idea when how or why - how can I learn from a mistake if I do t even know where or how I went wrong!?

 

[Twelvefret]

Brotherman, friend, brother of the blade, unless you are having a raised area like a pimple of such, your problem is driver error. Slow down, breathe, puff out your cheeks. Never make an unintended move. Shave one area and don't look at another area. Don't try to take off too much with one pass.

 

[ScottChapin]

I think with me, when that happens, it’s generally blade angle. If it gets too imperceptibly steep a feather fine cut will occur. Fortunately, that has not happened in awhile.

The other thing that might happen is stopping the blade in the middle of a stroke. I might do that if my grip feels awkward and I don’t want to continue with it. Now I try to remember to flatten the blade to my face prior to stopping.


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[Dzaw]

Definitely driver error. I find myself having to remind myself to slow down and let the razor do the work!. Even when I'm on point though, it sometimes sneaks in.

Sometimes I get little bleeders right at the follicle of a hair, when I feel the razor grab that hair in particular, maybe even catch on it, or pull, then later I get a tiny circular dot of blood right there - I've learned that those tend to be angle oriented, and are an indication I'm riding too steep.

Other times, I'll hit a little pimple, or re-open an older nick, but the complete unknowns get into my head - I know it's because I did something not quite right, but was it angle? Pressure? lapse in concentration? Sometimes I just can't tell, and that's when they drive me nuts lol!

I can't say I've run into what you're talking about @ScottChapin - I don't think I've ever actually stopped a razor on my skin. I'll lift it off much sooner than originally planned if something feels awkward, but stop? it just doesn't seem natural.

 

[Twelvefret]

Any previous cuts I had over the years, I've not lathered those areas until it healed. I use Polysporin immediately after the shave. The last cut I've experienced was last Spring with an ancient Sheffield DE type razor. I was being careless and moved the razor blade in a diagonal sweep.

I use and prefer square tips. I can see where the tip is and avoid ear lobs and such.

Before beginning my first stroke I lay the blade flat, take a breath, and raise to the correct angle. I focus intently on the area I am shaving. Over the years I've often shaved here and there. I no longer do that with a SR or any razor.

Hopefully you can figure this out. This time of year skin can dry out. Maybe a moisturizer is in order.

 

[ScottChapin]

@Dzaw, yes I stop because I’m well under way and any forward motion feels like it would get nasty.


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[Scarry Knight]

Concentrating on being guided more by touch saves me from most accidental cuts. Going too heavily by sight and mirror lends to more. I try and use a three points on system to gauge it more by feel, as that gives me better proprioception. One hand stretches while the other anchors one or more fingers as wrist movement handles the cutting....usually a buffing pass in a scything motion. That also helps me navigate better around any prior wounds, or bumps.

A Slippery Elm poultice makes for quick healing of deep cuts with reduced scarring.

 

[steveclarkus]

Definitely driver error. I find myself having to remind myself to slow down and let the razor do the work!. Even when I'm on point though, it sometimes sneaks in.

Sometimes I get little bleeders right at the follicle of a hair, when I feel the razor grab that hair in particular, maybe even catch on it, or pull, then later I get a tiny circular dot of blood right there - I've learned that those tend to be angle oriented, and are an indication I'm riding too steep.

Other times, I'll hit a little pimple, or re-open an older nick, but the complete unknowns get into my head - I know it's because I did something not quite right, but was it angle? Pressure? lapse in concentration? Sometimes I just can't tell, and that's when they drive me nuts lol!

I can't say I've run into what you're talking about @ScottChapin - I don't think I've ever actually stopped a razor on my skin. I'll lift it off much sooner than originally planned if something feels awkward, but stop? it just doesn't seem natural.

Have you considered the possibility you are concentrating too much? Stop thinking about what you are doing and just shave. Shaving is a very simple activity - it couldn’t be easier. You have a lot of shaves in. You have the angle and pressure things under control and you have the muscle memory but you aren’t letting it happen. When you concentrate/think, you are interfering with what your body/subconscious knows how to do. Look in the mirror and watch yourself being shaved. Don’t think, feel. Although the word is overused and cliche, it is a Zen thing.

 

[Bbb34]

Walk away from straights a week or so, even few weeks - I've done it after about 30+ shaves or so, and came back better straight razor shaver. I agree with @steveclarkus and @Scarry Knight, you're probably overthinking this now, just take a break, coming back to it will be that much more fun.

And after you do come back, consider finding the slickest cream/soap you can, and make sure you keep it well moisturized. While I get good shave with most creams and soaps I own, I find that slick matters a bit more with straight than DE.

 

[steveclarkus]

Walk away from straights a week or so, even few weeks - I've done it after about 30+ shaves or so, and came back better straight razor shaver. I agree with @steveclarkus and @Scarry Knight, you're probably overthinking this now, just take a break, coming back to it will be that much more fun.

And after you do come back, consider finding the slickest cream/soap you can, and make sure you keep it well moisturized. While I get good shave with most creams and soaps I own, I find that slick matters a bit more with straight than DE.

Man up - use Williams!

 

[Bbb34]

Man up - use Williams!

I will at some point.

What's funny, I had this conversation with my wife, who sometimes plays along and was asking what were my favorites, and was quite surprised that most expensive ones don't by default translate into "the best" (all subjective of course). As you said, shaving is a simple activity, from time to time (uh, yeah, let's go with "from time to time") we get carried away with amount or type of product we think we need (or desire).

 

[steveclarkus]

I’ll use Williams every couple of months to keep my head in the game and get some people on the board stirred up. I tend to favor the old European standards - Proraso, Cella, Haslinger, Tabac and such but about any shave soaps work but I’m not into soaps all that much. I just enjoy shaving. Always have. Just wish I had gone straight years ago.

 

[Twelvefret]

I’ll use Williams every couple of months to keep my head in the game and get some people on the board stirred up. I tend to favor the old European standards - Proraso, Cella, Haslinger, Tabac and such but about any shave soaps work but I’m not into soaps all that much. I just enjoy shaving. Always have. Just wish I had gone straight years ago.

I love what you sent me, but if I am buying, it's VDH. Your gift soap smell fabulous.

 

[Dzaw]

Arko and Tabac both perform beautifully for me. I have a tub of WK King of Oud too, and it’s nice, but I don’t think it is so much better that it justifies what I paid for it.